Combined toothbrush construction



Feb. 24, 1953 A. DEN UYL 2,629,122

COMBINED TOOTHBRUSH CONSTRUCTION Filed April 16, 1949 ---HIH 1H+H J NVENTbR.

Jim/0M2 i154 (71 2? Patented Feb. 24, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINED TOOTIIBRUSH CONSTRUCTION Anthonie Den Uyl, Wellington, N. J.

Application April 16, 1949, Serial No. 88,012

1 Claim.

This invention relates to toothbrushes.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a toothbrush with an extendable small brush which is adapted to operate upon the rear faces of the teeth and upon both the upper and lower teeth simultaneously, and wherein this small brush can be easily retracted by the operation of the thumb upon the toothbrush handle when it is desired to use the regular and larger brush.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a toothbrush construction having an adjustable small brush which is simple, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to operate, compact,

consumes no more space than an ordinary toothbrush, and efiicient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the toothbrush embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the brush.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the brush with the small brush retracted.

Fig. 5 is an end elevational view illustrating the manner in which the smaller brush is engaged with the back faces of both the upper and lower teeth.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the toothbrush when in the position shown in Fig. 5.

Referring now to the figures, Ill represents the main body of the toothbrush having the regular bristles II with which the forward faces of the teeth are cleaned. This main body is integral with a handle portion l2. A dovetail groove extend-s throughout the length of the main body and the handle portion as indicated at 13. Slidable in this groove is an operating member l4 having an upwardly bent end portion IS with a transverse por-.- tion It thereon having depending bristles l1 lying at the opposite sides of the bent up portion IS. The operating member It has a thumb engaging portion or button l8 whereby the user of the brush, with his hand upon the handle, can cause the longitudinal adjustment of the operating member and the small brush into and out of the body It. On the body are stop portions 2| and 22 which stop the brush when extended outwardly from the body It, the thumb portion l8 engaging with the stops 2| and 22. A hole 23 is provided in the end of the handle by which the toothbrush can be suspended from a hook.

With the small brush l1 retracted, the brush bristles II can be used in the ordinary way upon the teeth, as shown in Fig. 4. The teeth are illustrated at 24.

With the small brush l1 extended outwardly, the bent portion I can be extended between upper and lower teeth 26 and 2,1 and by working the brush around on the inner faces of the teeth, they will be cleaned. The bent up portion 15 is sufliciently narrow so that the teeth can be brought sufficiently close together to have the. action of the brush bristles I! on both the upper and lower teeth.

It will be apparent that there has been provided a brush having an adjustable smaller brush adapted for use on the rear faces of the teeth wherein this smaller brush can be projected or retracted as desired by the user of the brush with the hand holding the brush and by a mere depressing of the thumb upon the thumb portion to either extend or withdraw the small brush.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claim.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of my invention, what is claimed is:

A toothbrush construction comprising a body and a handle, said body and handle having a groove extending longitudinally throughout the combined length, said body being adapted to carry downwardly extending bristles, an operating member slidable in the groove, a small toothbrush located upon the operating member, a thumb engagin portion on the operating member engageable by the thumb of the hand retaining the handle of the brush whereby said small brush can be extended outwardly of the body or retracted to an out-of-way position, said operating member having an upwardly bent portion and a transverse portion extending across the upwardly bent portion, the small brush having its bristles extending from the transverse portion and at the opposite sides of the upwardly bent portion of the operating member, said small brush bristles being adapted to engage simultaneously with the rear faces of upper and lower teeth as the bent portion is extended between the teeth.

ANTHO'NIE DEN UYL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

